1. Organic Chemistry: “Chemistry of Life”
General Biology
Glencoe High School

2. Organic molecules: Compounds containing the element carbon (C)
Usually associated with living things
Other elements commonly found in organic molecules:
Hydrogen (H)
Oxygen (O)
Nitrogen (N)
Phosphorus (P)
Sulfur (S)

3. 4 main groups of organic molecules:
1. Carbohydrates 
2. Lipids 
3. Proteins 
4. Nucleic Acids 

4. “Macromolecules”:
Organic molecules are most often considered “macromolecules” (macro = large)
They are made of “building block” molecules called monomers.
2 monomers can combine to form a dimer (di= two), and many monomers combine to form a polymer (poly= many)
monomer
dimer
polymer

5. -Large molecules formed = water is lost
Monomers join together in a reaction called “dehydration synthesis”. (dehydration = water loss) (synthesize = combine)
-Large molecules formed = water is lost
See animation:
H2O
H2O
The opposite of dehydration synthesis is called “hydrolysis” (requires water)

6. Some organic molecules, like lipids, are said to be hydrophobic
-they will not mix with water
Other organic molecules are hydrophilic
-they mix well with water

7. Carbohydrates: -Made of ONLY Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen 1. Sugars -
-Monosaccharides= “single sugars” (ex.- glucose)
-Disaccharides= “double sugars” (ex.- sucrose, table sugar)
-for FAST energy

8. 2. Starch (plants) and Glycogen (animals)-
-Polysaccharides= “many sugars”
-Stored Energy (broken down into sugars later)
Glycogen is stored in the liver
Starch is stored in seeds, grains and tubers

9. 3. Cellulose-
-Found ONLY in plants
-Structural molecule (makes plants rigid)
-Indigestible by animals (“fiber”)

10. Lipids: Made of ONLY Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen
1.Fats and Oils
-LONG TERM energy storage
-Made of 1 glycerol molecule & 3 fatty acids (Triglycerides)
2. Waxes
-water repellent

11. 3. Phospholipids
-cell membranes
-hydrophilic heads
-hydrophobic “tails”
4. Steroid hormones
-chemical control of some body functions
-made from cholesterol

12. -over half the dry weight of your body
Proteins:Made of Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen and Oxygen
-over half the dry weight of your body
-VERY LARGE with complex 3-dimensional structures
-made of combinations of 20 different amino acids

13. - proteins perform MANY functions:
Movement (muscles)
Structure (bones)
Chemical Regulation (enzymes speed up chemical reactions)

14. Defense (antibodies of the immune system)
Transport (hemoglobin in red blood cells)
Nutrition

15. Enzymes speed up reactions at normal temperatures

16. Nucleic Acids: - Consist of repeating units called nucleotides
Made of Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Phosophorus and Oxygen
Consist of repeating units called nucleotides
1. DNA- forms the genetic code (codes for proteins)
2. RNA- vital part of protein building process

17. Organic Molecules: 4 classes Nucleic Acids Proteins Lipids
Carbo- hydrates
also known as